The present invention relates to an endoscope ocular portion fitted with a microscope gripping mechanism and an endoscope holder and endoscope securing method, whereby an endoscope or an endoscope ocular portion can be secured to a medical microscope.
Many operations such as neurosurgery or ophthalmology are carried out under a microscope. However heretofore, in the case where an endoscope is used under such circumstances, in order to view the endoscope image, as shown in FIG. 27, the eye is separated from the microscope ocular portion 1a of the medical microscope to look into the endoscope ocular portion 2a of the endoscope (the bottom left figure), or to view the endoscope image received by an imaging device 3 which is branch connected to the endoscope 2, with a monitor 4 (bottom right figure).
However, this has the following problems. That is to say, in order to view the endoscope image, the observer must move significantly, for example raising the face and changing the position of the body, which is inconvenient. Furthermore, since both the microscope image of the medical microscope 1 and the endoscope image of the endoscope 2 cannot be observed at the same time, this also has the problem in that it is difficult to determine the position for performing observation with the endoscope 2, making operation difficult.
As a particular example, there is also a system for displaying the endoscope image overlapped within the microscope field of vision using an optical/electrical device (not shown in the figure). However the apparatus for this is expensive, and is not one which can be applied to any microscope.
The present invention takes into consideration the above situation, with the object of providing an endoscope ocular portion fitted with a microscope gripping mechanism and an endoscope holder and an endoscope securing method, whereby simultaneous viewing of a medical microscope and an endoscope without the observer significantly moving their face or head, can be realized at low cost.
The endoscope ocular portion fitted with a microscope gripping mechanism is one where a microscope gripping mechanism for gripping a medical microscope is provided on the endoscope ocular portion, and is characterized in that the microscope gripping mechanism has; a microscope gripping portion for gripping the medical microscope, an endoscope securing portion secured to the endoscope ocular portion, and a linkage portion linking the microscope gripping portion and endoscope securing portion, and positioning and securing the endoscope ocular portion and a microscope ocular portion of the medical microscope on the same virtual plane and at approximately the same spacing as the pupil distance of an observer.
According to this endoscope ocular portion fitted with a microscope gripping mechanism, the endoscope ocular portion fitted with the microscope gripping mechanism is attached to the medical microscope so that the endoscope ocular portion and the microscope ocular portion are on the same virtual plane, and are at approximately the same spacing as the pupil distance of the observer. Hence the observer can view both the microscope image and the endoscope image while looking at the microscope ocular portion with one eye, and at the same time looking at the endoscope ocular portion with the other eye. Consequently, with such an endoscope ocular portion fitted with a microscope gripping mechanism, the microscope image of the medical microscope and the endoscope image of the endoscope can be observed at the same time without the observer significantly moving their head or body. Moreover, since this involves a low cost construction, then this can be realized at a low cost.
Furthermore, the endoscope ocular portion fitted with a microscope gripping mechanism of the present invention is characterized in that with the endoscope securing portion, the relative position in the horizontal direction, the vertical direction and the rotation direction is adjustable with respect to the microscope gripping portion, and the inclination is adjustable with respect to the axis of the microscope gripping portion.
With such an endoscope ocular portion fitted with a microscope gripping mechanism, by operating the linkage portion of the microscope gripping mechanism, and adjusting the relative positions in the horizontal, the vertical and the rotation direction of the endoscope securing portion with respect to the microscope gripping portion, and adjusting the inclination of the axis of the endoscope securing portion with respect to the axis of the microscope gripping portion, the endoscope ocular portion can be positioned and secured at an optimum position for easy observation corresponding to the direction and position of the body or head of the observer.
Furthermore, the endoscope ocular portion fitted with a microscope gripping mechanism of the present invention, is characterized in that there is provided an optical-electrical device whereby with the endoscope ocular portion, an endoscope image can be directly view with the naked eye, and at the same time the endoscope image can be separately displayed and recorded.
With the endoscope ocular portion fitted with a microscope gripping mechanism, the endoscope image is viewed directly with the naked eye, and at the same time recording and display is affected by means of the optical-electrical device. By means of this display, the endoscope image can be viewed by several observers at the same time with the naked eye.
Moreover, with the endoscope ocular portion fitted with a microscope gripping mechanism of the present invention, the linkage portion links so that a plurality of separate arms can be folded and unfolded therebetween, and one end separate arm is connected to the endoscope securing portion, and an other end separate arm is connected to the microscope gripping portion so as to be slidably moveable in the axial direction of the microscope ocular portion.
According to the endoscope ocular portion fitted with a microscope gripping mechanism, by folding or unfolding while widening or narrowing the angle of the respective separate arm spacing, the spacing dimension between the microscope ocular portion and the endoscope ocular portion can be easily adjusted to conform to the pupil distance dimension of the observer. Furthermore, by slidingly moving the endoscope securing portion together with the endoscope in the axial direction being the site line direction at the time of looking into the microscope attached to these, with respect to the microscope gripping portion, the endoscope ocular portion and the microscope ocular portion can be easily adjusted to approximately the same height.
Furthermore, the endoscope holder of the present invention is an endoscope holder which secures and holds an endoscope such as a fiberscope or an endoscope ocular portion to a medical microscope, and is characterized in having; a microscope securing portion secured to the medical microscope, an endoscope holding portion for holding the endoscope or the endoscope ocular portion, and a linkage portion linking the microscope securing portion and endoscope holding portion, and positioning and securing the endoscope ocular portion or the endoscope ocular portion of the endoscope and a microscope ocular portion of the medical microscope on the same virtual plane and at approximately the same spacing as the pupil distance of an observer.
According to this endoscope holder, the microscope securing portion is attached and secured to the medical microscope and the endoscope or the endoscope ocular portion is held on the endoscope holding portion, so that the endoscope ocular portion and the microscope ocular portion are on the same virtual plane, and are at approximately the same spacing as the pupil distance of the observer. Hence the observer can view both the microscope image and the endoscope image while looking at the microscope ocular portion with one eye, and at the same time looking at the endoscope ocular portion with the other eye. Consequently, with such an endoscope holder, the microscope image of the medical microscope and the endoscope image of the endoscope can be observed at the same time without the observer significantly moving their head or body. Moreover, since this involves a low cost construction, then this can be realized at a low cost.
Moreover, with the endoscope holder of the present invention, the endoscope holding portion can adjust the relative position in the horizontal direction, the vertical direction and the rotation direction with respect to said microscope securing portion, and can adjust the inclination with respect to the axis of the microscope securing portion.
With such an endoscope holder, by operating the linkage portion and adjusting the relative positions in the horizontal direction, the vertical direction and the rotation direction of the endoscope holding portion with respect to the microscope securing portion, and adjusting the inclination of the axis of the endoscope securing portion with respect to the axis of the microscope securing portion, the endoscope ocular portion or the endoscope can be positioned and secured at an optimum position for easy observation corresponding to the direction and position of the body or head of the observer.
Furthermore, with the endoscope holder of the present invention, the linkage portion links so that a plurality of separate arms can be folded and unfolded therebetween, and one end separate arm is connected to the endoscope holding portion, and an other end separate arm is connected to the microscope securing portion so as to be slidably moveable in the axial direction of the microscope ocular portion.
According to the endoscope holder, by folding or unfolding while widening or narrowing the angle of the respective separate arm spacing, the spacing dimension between the microscope ocular portion and the endoscope ocular portion can be adjusted to conform to the pupil distance dimension of the observer. Furthermore, by slidingly moving the endoscope holding portion together with the endoscope in the axial direction being the site line direction at the time of looking into the microscope attached to these, with respect to the microscope securing portion, the endoscope ocular portion and the microscope ocular portion can be adjusted to approximately the same height.
Furthermore, an endoscope securing method according to the present invention is one where an endoscope such as a fiberscope or an endoscope ocular portion is secured to a medical microscope, and involves securing via a linkage portion an endoscope holding portion which holds the endoscope or the endoscope ocular portion, to a microscope securing portion which is secured to the medical microscope, and positioning and securing the endoscope ocular portion of the endoscope or the endoscope ocular portion and a microscope ocular portion of the medical microscope on the same virtual plane and at approximately the same spacing as the pupil distance of an observer.
According to this endoscope securing method, by positioning and securing the endoscope ocular portion and the microscope ocular portion on the same virtual plane and at approximately the same spacing as the pupil distance of an observer, the observer can view both the microscope image and the endoscope image, looking at the microscope ocular portion with one eye, while looking at the endoscope ocular portion with the other eye.
Furthermore, with the endoscope securing method of the present invention, the linkage portion links so that a plurality of separate arms can be folded and unfolded therebetween, and one end separate arm is connected to the endoscope holding portion, and an other end separate arm is connected to the microscope securing portion so as to be slidably moveable in the axial direction of the microscope ocular portion.
According to the endoscope securing method, by folding or unfolding while widening or narrowing the angle of the respective separate arm spacing, the spacing dimension between the microscope ocular portion and the endoscope ocular portion can be adjusted to conform to the pupil distance dimension of the observer. Furthermore, by slidingly moving the endoscope holding portion together with the endoscope in the axial direction being the site line direction at the time of looking into the microscope attached to these, with respect to the microscope securing portion, the endoscope ocular portion and the microscope ocular portion can be adjusted to approximately the same height.
Furthermore, the endoscope ocular portion fitted with a microscope gripping mechanism, or the endoscope holder, or the endoscope securing method of the present invention, is characterized in that said linkage portion enables said respective separate arms to be folded and unfolded within a vertical plane.
With the endoscope ocular portion fitted with a microscope gripping mechanism, or the endoscope holder, or the endoscope securing method, at the time of adjusting the spacing of the microscope ocular portion and the endoscope ocular portion, the separate arms of the connecting portion are folded within the vertical plane. Therefore after folding, the separate arms do not stick out in the horizontal direction. Hence the situation where it is difficult to see due to the nose etc. of the observer being bumped on the separate arms when making an observation does not arise.